Recipe: Boiler House Spicy House-Pickled Veggies

Published 4:12 pm, Thursday, December 26, 2013

Photo: San Antonio Express-News

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Photo: San Antonio Express-News

Recipe: Boiler House Spicy House-Pickled Veggies

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Makes 4 quarts or about 64 servings

Chefs Secrets' columnist Pat Mozersky picked this healthful but delicious recipe that's flavored with two types of chiles as one of her favorite restaurant recipes of 2013. You can personalize the vegetable mix, using the market's best seasonal produce such as green beans, small Kirby cucumbers and sweet bell peppers. While chef Jeff White recommends letting the veggies sit for a week before eating, Mozersky said “even after one day, they were flavorful. The longer they sit, the spicier they'll be. ... Keep the vegetables refrigerated and use them within a couple of weeks.”

Brine:

11/2 tablespoons dill seed

11/2 tablespoons mustard seed

11/2 tablespoons juniper berries

Peel of 1 lemon (yellow part only, the white portion beneath is very bitter)

5 cups white wine vinegar

3 cups water

1/2 cup salt

1/2 cup sugar

10 cloves garlic

2 jalapeños, halved

1 onion, sliced

Veggies:

1/2 head white cauliflower, separated into small florets

1/2 head green broccoflower (sometimes referred to as romesco cauliflower), separated into small florets

SAN ANTONIO —
For Brine: Place dill seed, mustard seed, juniper berries and lemon peel on a good-size piece of cheesecloth or in a cheesecloth bag; roll up and tie with string to form what's called a bouquet garni. In a large pot, combine the bouquet garni, white wine vinegar, water, salt, sugar, garlic, jalapeños and onion. Bring this mixture to a boil.

For Veggies: In a large bowl, combine both white and green cauliflowers, carrots, serrano and jalapeño chiles, shiitake and chanterelle mushrooms, broccoli rabe, fennel and bay leaves. Pour the hot brine over the vegetables and allow the mixture to sit until it reaches room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 1 week before serving.